February 28, 2023 marks the 76th anniversary of the 228 Incident. The incident was a bloody crackdown against anti-government protests that began on the same day in 1947. This year, many people took to the streets again to commemorate the event.
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Human rights lawyers and victims’ families lay down roses to commemorate the 228 Incident. The massacre took place 76 years ago. It’s estimated that between 18,000 and 28,000 people died in the crackdown following an anti-government uprising. This week, many civil group members marched on the streets to honor the victims.
The march started at the Tian Ma Teahouse, where the uprising took place. Demonstrators wore dark clothes, and some brought their children along for the rally.
Cheng Chu-mei (鄭竹梅), the daughter of late democracy advocate Nylon Cheng (鄭南榕), who set himself on fire for freedom of speech was at the demonstration. She says there need to be serious discussions about transitional justice, such as how to remove traces of authoritarianism in road names, bronze statues and memorial plaques.
Cheng also calls for current political figures like Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) to acknowledge their past to win the trust of the Taiwanese people. Chiang is a member of the KMT, which was the ruling party at the time of the uprising. He also claims to be the great grandson of Chiang Kai-shek (蔣中正), who was Taiwan’s president during the martial law period that followed the 228 Incident.
Many people are still grieving the loss of family members who died during the massacre. Taiwan’s government is still working to heal those wounds which are remembered every year on February 28.